Airship



W. W. COGSVVELL AIRSHIP Filed Feb kl@ v1925 Patented Nov. 23, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,608,461 PATENT oFFicE.

. WILLIAM W. COGSWELLOF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. l

Insulin Application filed February 16, I1925i. Serial No. 9,620.

My invention relates to anv airship` and 'has for its principal object. the provision of a.l relatively simple, and practical air-ship that combines the desirable features of la dirigible balloon and a helicopter.

Further objects of Jmy invention are, to provide an airship having an elongated substantiallyl cigar-shaped body that is made are driven by suitable motors or engines and to arrange on the sides f the body of the Y ship, longitudinally disposed laterally pro-- jecting wings or planes that functionas sta bilizers to maintain the ship body on an even keel while in flight.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an airs-hip of my improved construction.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the ship.

Fig. 3 is'a cross section taken on the line .3 3 of Fig. 2.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a practical embodiment of my invention, 10 designates the body of the airship, which body .is subst antially cylindrical in shape, 4with both ends tapered. This body comprises a suit able framework lthatis covered by an euvel-- ope or thin sheathing of aluminum plates or suitable waterproof fabric.

Extending lengthwise through the central portion of the body 10, is a pair of substantially cylindrical tubes ory tunnels 11` open at both ends and arranged for rotation y'in suitable bearings with each tube," is an axially disposedshaft 12, carrying on each end a propeller' 13. I prefer to arrange these propellers just inside the open ends of the tubes 11,

Vertically arranged Iin the body 10 and located at suitable points between the longitudinal center of' said body andthe ends thereof are tubes or tunnels 14, that are open at both ends andarranged for rotation in suitable bearings within `said tubes are ax,-

ially disposed shafts 15 that carry at their ends, propellers 1G.

The propeher-carrying shafts 12 and 15 may be driven in any suitable manner, `bnt I prefer to use as the driving means, a series of motors such as internal'combustion engines 17, thesame being located within a cabin structure 18 that depends from thecentral portion of body 1(4). This cabin may also contain' suitable. storage compartments and quarters for the ships passengers'and the crew.

I prefer to arrange the driving connections between the motors and the propellercarrying shafts so that each shaft has an independent driving motor.

Arranged on the sides of body 10 are out wardly projecting horizontally disposed wings or planes 19 that extend the'entire ylength of said body.- These wings function as stabilizers for the ship whilethe same is in ight, and counteract any tendency of the body to roll or rock.

In the operation of my improved airship,

the buoyant gas containers within the bodv are inflated to such a degree as that said body and its headwill be practically selfsustaining in the air, but without sufficient buoyancy to move upward in the air.

To cause the airship to ascend, the motors that drive the propeller-carrying shafts l5 are operated with the result that airtwill be forcibly drawn downward through the vertical tubes 14 and which action produces a lifting effect on bodylO, and the latter rises after the vmanner of a helicopter.

' When the ship has reached the desired height, the motors that drive the vertical shafts 15 arei stopped and the motors that drive the propeller-carrying shafts 12 are started. y

As a result,air is drawn into and forcibly driven throu'gh tubes or tunnels 11, thereby i y wardly in practically a straight path.

When it is desired to I'cause the shipto turn laterally during the forward flight, one of the propeller carrying Shafts 1.2 is

stopped voraused to rotate sov that air will be drawn from the rear, forwardly through y the correspondin tube-or 'tunnel' and, asa

result, the-ship W1ll make a it, moves forward.

.By providing each sha'ft'jwith two propellers and arranging the latter adjacent tow the ends of the tubes or tunnels the speed same time lminimized.

' Thus -it will be seen that I have provided a simple, practical and easily operated airship that combines` all the desirable qualities of a diri'ffible balloon and a helicopter.

' It will be understood that minor changes in thesize, form,- and construction of the various parts of my improved constructionv may be made and'substituted for those herein shown and described Without departingfrom the spirit of the'invention, the scope gradnel turn .as

'of'which is set forth in the appended claim. I claim as my invention: An airship comprising an elongated body having tapered ends2 a pair of straight openended tubes extendlng llengthwise through said body, which tubes occupy thesame horiz'ontal plane and their internal ydiameters being uniform throughout their lengths, shaftsextending lengthwise through4 said tubes,` propellers carriedv by said shafts and arranged immediately adjacent to the open ends of said tubes, straight verticallydisposed tubes extending through the body of 4the airship.- and located between the longitudinally disposed tubes the internal diameters of1 which vertical tubes are 'uniform throughout their lenfrths shafts extending through said verticalz tubes and propellers mounted on the v'shafts within the vertical tubes immediately adjacent to the 'endsA of the latter. v l

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM W. COGSWELL. 

